Bronze Moses Joins Crystal Cathedral Art Collection

A bronze statue of Moses hoisting the Ten Commandments will be unveiled Sunday at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, the latest in a series of sculptures commissioned by donors to enlarge the Rev. Robert H. Schuller’s vision of a church that uses art to inspire devotion.

Workers installed the statue Friday on a base of rocks imported from Mount Sinai. The 13-foot sculpture is flanked by evergreens, a bevy of other biblical statues and, of course, Schuller’s landmark 10,000-pane sanctuary.

Among those watching when the wraps were taken off was John von Wolzogen of Orange, a computer programmer at the church. “The first time I saw it without the veil, I cried,” Von Wolzogen said. “Moses was always my favorite Bible character growing up.”

A bronze rendering of the burning bush from the Old Testament will be installed beside the sculpture of Moses--although it’s not from the same story as the Ten Commandments--and will feature an “eternal flame” fueled by natural gas, church officials said.

“Traditionally churches have primarily communicated through the talking face from a pulpit,” said Schuller, who earmarks more than $138,000 a year to maintain the campus. “We’re into trying to communicate through art and architecture, through landscaping and the environment.”

The perfectly preened gardens are a backdrop for Schuller’s prized collection of statues--nine so far, with a 10th planned for spring--commissioned by wealthy donors who subscribe to his vision. An additional five sculptures are installed inside the cathedral.

“We just fell into becoming a collector of great new religious pieces,” said Schuller.

John M. Soderberg, an Arizona sculptor, spent two years creating the 1,500-pound Moses, whom he depicted as a strong, serious prophet of God with wind-swept locks and huge arms holding a pair of tablets aloft.

A bronze staff is affixed to rock in front of Moses and his leather sandals are cast to the side, in deference to the holy ground of Mount Sinai where Moses received the Ten Commandments.

“I wanted to do it a little more rustic, a little more wild” than some conventional images of Moses, said Soderberg, who has dreamed of sculpting the biblical figure since he saw Michelangelo’s statue of Moses in Rome as a child.

“Schuller believes in the power of art to convey feelings and lessons,” said Soderberg.”I’m deeply honored to be part of his vision.”

Although Soderberg won’t say how much the donors, Howard and Betty Glasgow, spent for Moses, he did say that to create another one-of-a-kind bronze sculpture the same size would cost at least $500,000.

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Schuller started his ministry more than 45 years ago when he preached for six years on top of a snack bar at a drive-in movie. Rising from those humble beginnings, the 73-year-old evangelist has become a pioneer in blending world-class architecture with his homespun message of prayer and faith.

Schuller commissioned architects Richard Neutra and Philip Johnson to design buildings on his campus.

The Garden Grove Community Church was completed by Neutra in the 1960s, and Johnson’s 12-story glass and steel Crystal Cathedral opened in 1980.

His latest high-profile recruit is architect Richard Meier, of Getty Center fame, who has designed Schuller’s latest inspiration: a graceful 50,000-square-foot stone building to house an exhibition hall, a theater and a food court for his parishioners.

“People always ask: Who’s going to be the preacher when Schuller is dead and gone?” said Schuller. “We say that the property will make the most important statement.”

Indeed, with 250,000 visitors to the Crystal Cathedral annually, the cluster of sculptures and striking architecture communicates to people of all nationalities without a translator.

One sculpture features the Virgin Mary and Joseph on a donkey with the baby Jesus, who is made of polished stainless steel so that people of all races can see their own reflection in his face.

Al Zultz drove up from Costa Mesa to inspect the Moses statue.

“The grounds are constantly changing. It’s exciting,” said Zultz, who likes the feeling of peace he gets alongside the statues, fountains, flowers and reflecting ponds.

“It’s our gift to Orange County,” said Schuller of his collection of buildings and beauty. “We’re giving people a sense of peace and well-being that they can take home with them.”